Microfluidic chambers using fluid walls for cell biology

Many proofs of concept have demonstrated the potential of microfluidics in cell biology. However, the technology remains inaccessible to many biologists, as it often requires complex manufacturing facilities (such as soft lithography) and uses materials foreign to cell biology (such as polydimethyls...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2018-06, Vol.115 (26), p.E5926-E5933
Main Authors: Soitu, Cristian, Feuerborn, Alexander, Tan, Ann Na, Walker, Henry, Walsh, Pat A., Castrejón-Pita, Alfonso A., Cook, Peter R., Walsh, Edmond J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Biological Sciences
Biologists
Biology
Cell Biology - instrumentation
Cell culture
Cellular biology
Cloning
Cryopreservation
Cytological Techniques - instrumentation
Cytological Techniques - methods
Eggs
Genomes
Hydrophobicity
Interfacial bonding
Lab-On-A-Chip Devices
Laboratory equipment
Lysis
Mammalian cells
Manufacturing industry
Microfluidic Analytical Techniques - instrumentation
Microfluidic Analytical Techniques - methods
Microfluidics
Physical Sciences
PNAS Plus
Polydimethylsiloxane
Polymerase chain reaction
Styli
Substrates
Tissues
Transfection
Walls
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Summary:Many proofs of concept have demonstrated the potential of microfluidics in cell biology. However, the technology remains inaccessible to many biologists, as it often requires complex manufacturing facilities (such as soft lithography) and uses materials foreign to cell biology (such as polydimethylsiloxane). Here, we present a method for creating microfluidic environments by simply reshaping fluids on a substrate. For applications in cell biology, we use cell media on a virgin Petri dish overlaid with an immiscible fluorocarbon. A hydrophobic/fluorophilic stylus then reshapes the media into any pattern by creating liquid walls of fluorocarbon. Microfluidic arrangements suitable for cell culture are made in minutes using materials familiar to biologists. The versatility of the method is demonstrated by creating analogs of a common platform in cell biology, the microtiter plate. Using this vehicle, we demonstrate many manipulations required for cell culture and downstream analysis, including feeding, replating, cloning, cryopreservation, lysis plus RT-PCR, transfection plus genome editing, and fixation plus immunolabeling (when fluid walls are reconfigured during use). We also show that mammalian cells grow and respond to stimuli normally, and worm eggs develop into adults. This simple approach provides biologists with an entrée into microfluidics.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1805449115